The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-12-29
ABOUT WARM DRINKS.
why They Should Be Reserved for OIL
and MiddIe-Aged Persons.

China and India comprise more thai
one-half the worlds population. If an,
wonder is expressed at this concentra
ton of people in countries that w
generally consider semi-barbarous,
possible explanation is TO be found il
the fact that they were earliest in in
Producing warri drink to the world
Say what hygienists may of the harm
fulness Of tea and coffee, it is fac
that the countries that use them mos
are increasing in population NOR,
rapidly than any other parts of thi.
globe, and have apparently alway:
done so. 1t is scarcely supposable thai
tea is itself beneficial. as its active
principal is n poison. But it is. the
world over. the drink that is nearly
always taken warm.
Death and cold are more nearly
allied than we are apt to suppose. A
few special diseases require heat fol
their development and propagation.
But the outward heat in fevcrs is only,
IN most cases, reverse of The natural.
internal warmth which is then thrown
to the outside. leaving the vital organs
to chill Whenever this occurs, death
follows as a matter-of-course. Most
! physicians know that this. in a great
many cases, is the condition under
which death comes. In old people. OF
others whose vitality has been greatly
lessened. the shrewd doctor regards
the coming of winter and cold weather
each year rs critical periods in every
aged persons existence. The express
sion is frequently heard, that if an aged
person lives through winter, his or her
chances will be good for another year.
In cases of sickness, warm drinks
have probably ALWAYS been prescribed.
In fevers alone. cold water is some.
times preferable. when there is suffi-
cient strength and vitality 10 get up
reaction. But even here the object is
warmth rather than cold. Whenever
the patient is so debilitated that the
reaction does not come, cold drinks
are always injurious. This applies in
many cases of continued sickness. and
to aged persons. These, as n rule,
should be encouraged to drink warm
drinks, especially in winter Or at night.
Hot drinks are themselves stimu-
lating by heat alone. Hot water as
medicine is often better than drugs.
This is especially true in cases OF
diarrhea or dysentery. or when the
stomach is overloaded with food that if
can not digest. The heat thus directly
furnished is generally needed. for the
effect of each of these ailments is to
leave the stomach too cold. Perhaps
this reliance on artificial heat as a
stimulus to the vital organs may become
in itself facilitating if long continued.
Too much wrapping up and coddling
in warm rooms is not so healthful for |
the vigorous rs active, out-of-dOor ex-
ercises. We do not say for the young.
because generally small children need |
more protection from cold than they
get. But the rule is a good one never
to accustom the young to warm drinks,
either tea or coffee. Reserve these for
the aged or those who have passed mid
lie life, taking care not to let them
lrink any thing much above blood heat
Except in sudden emergencies, when
he system seems to require stimu-
anfs.
Excessively cold drinks are an abom-
nation to the stomach. The habit of
Using ice water is the cause of an i'm
nense amount of summer sickness.
'ce is often impure, though looking as
transparent as glass. If got from ponds,
Is it often is. it is quite likely to contain
germs of disease that were in the water
before freezing. No one should think
If drinking melted ice before filterinr,
luleSs it is made from water pure
nOugh for drinking before it is frozen.
The use of ices or of ice-cold foods in
ummer, tempting though they be rs
is responsible for many
eaths, especially of those whose s;om-
chs are debilitated. Even cold milk is
niuriOus, espe cially if made ice cold by
eing surrounded with ice to make the
ream rise. 1t is safer to warm cold
iilk before drinking it, and this is best
one by turning enough hot water in it ,
} take the chill off. This also dilutes ,
sufficiently to prevent the curd form ,
lg in a solid mass, as it does on many ,
elicate stomachs, to which milk is al :
avs an irritant. i
One caution in the use of hot drinks |
+ foods is not to allow them to come 7
contact with the teeth much above
le natural temperature. Drinking very {
)t tea or coffee ruins more teeth than I
most any thing else. In special cases 7
,ry hot drinks are allowable; but f
'ually blood heat is Il better tempera- 9
re for food or drink than any other. V
ytremes of hot or cold are allowable {
lder certain condit ions for the system, S
whole, but neither should come in h
intact with teeth or gums more than q
,cessary. The prevalence of decayed q
eth in this country is due as much as a
~ thing else to our national habit of a
linking very hot tea and coffee, and \
rhaps alternating this with ice water "
dishes of ice cream. Such extremes e
e every way injurious. and should be If
oided. Boston Budget b
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